DoD News

WASHINGTON - President Bush made the plea to the American public during his address to the nation June 28, and now Defense Department leaders are asking Congress to go out and do the same. That is to ask Americans, especially those of enlistment age, to step up and serve their country.

WASHINGTON - The U.S. military has recovered the bodies of the aircrew and passengers aboard a MH-47 Chinook helicopter that was reported shot down by insurgents in eastern Afghanistan June 28, the Defense Department announced today.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - A routine orientation flight turned out to be anything but routine, at least for three Afghan children stranded in the middle of a flooded river near Salerno, Afghanistan, June 29.

ATLANTA - Country music artist Mark Wills didn't deliver a speech during the Military Child Education Coalition lunch and opening general session here June 29, but he spoke to the more than 550 conferees in the international language: music.

WASHINGTON - Insurgents in Iraq are increasingly employing suicide bombers and roadside explosives and not engaging U.S. and coalition forces in stand-up battles like the one at Fallujah last fall, a senior U.S. military officer said in Baghdad today.

WASHINGTON - Probably no example in modern history matches the extent of the effort going into ensuring the fairest and most humane treatment possible for enemy combatants being detained at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the task force commander there asserted today during questioning by the House Armed Services Committee.

WASHINGTON - In anticipation of upcoming Independence Day celebrations, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Joint Chiefs Chairman Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers asked for support of the troops and expressed confidence in the American people's spirit during a Pentagon town hall meeting today.

WASHINGTON - When Karen Grimord found out in August 2004 that war-wounded servicemembers were spending long days and nights at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany without any entertainment in their hospital rooms, she decided to do something about it.

STUTTGART, Germany - Sworn enemies during the Cold War, the Republic of Georgia - part of the former Soviet Union -- and the United States are brothers in arms now, forming friendships and training side by side.

WASHINGTON - The plan to relocate troops from overseas bases back to the United States as part of the Defense Department's Global Defense Posture Realignment will mean less stress on military people and their families, DoD officials told a Senate Appropriations subcommittee here June 28.

WASHINGTON - If you're a Muslim extremist captured while fighting your holy war against "infidels," avoid revealing information at all costs, don't give your real name and claim that you were mistreated or tortured during your detention.

ATLANTA - More than 550 people from around the world are gathered here for the three-day Military Child Education Coalition's 7th annual conference that starts today. This year's conference theme is "Making Connections for Children."

KABUL, Afghanistan - NATO's International Security Assistance Force deployed its Quick Reaction Force to the area of the Farah provincial reconstruction team in western Afghanistan, an ISAF spokesman said during a news briefing at ISAF headquarters here today.

WASHINGTON - President Bush said troop levels in Iraq are where military commanders want them and explained why he believes setting a deadline for their withdrawal would be a mistake in a nationally televised June 28 speech at Fort Bragg, N.C.

WASHINGTON - President Bush tonight expressed his gratitude to the nation's military members and their families, and urged the American people to take time on Independence Day to make their own gesture of thanks.

WASHINGTON - On the one-year anniversary of the transfer of sovereignty in Iraq to a transitional Iraqi government, President Bush tonight promised that U.S. forces would remain in Iraq until the job is complete, "but not one day longer."

ATLANTA - Home Depot announced today all active duty personnel, reservists, retired service members, veterans and their families will receive 10 percent off their purchases in recognition of Independence Day.

NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - Camp 4, the only medium-security camp at Guantanamo Bay, is the most sought-after camp here for detainees here. It's reserved only for those who live by the camp rules and offers them the privilege of living in a communal setting that offers more freedoms and perks than less-cooperative detainees receive.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld took to the airwaves June 27 to clear up what he characterized as "misinformation" by the media about the war in Iraq, telling radio listeners in Kansas City, Mo., that "the news media seem to want to carry the negative."

WASHINGTON - Air Force Reserve Maj. Eduardo Alzona, an Air Reserve attache with the U.S. Defense Attache Office at the U.S. Embassy in Dakar, Senegal, is proficient in English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, German, Tagalog and Arabic. And DoD is targeting people like him -- reservists and guardsmen with specialized skills -- more and more to fill specific unique positions.

SHOAL WATER BAY TRAINING AREA, Australia - Dropping in and destroying enemy ground forces is the specialty of the 1st Battalion, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment. Based at Fort Richardson, Alaska, the unit is playing a pivotal role this week in Talisman Saber '05, a combined joint exercise with Australian forces.

STUTTGART, Germany - The $64 million Georgia Sustainment and Stability Operations Program, known as GSSOP and administered by U.S. European Command, recently began a 15-month run and is the answer to Georgia's commitment to deploy troops to support Operation Iraqi Freedom.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department will work with the Veterans Affairs Department to help cover a shortfall in VA funds due to increased dental benefits claimed by returning veterans of the global war on terror, a top DoD health official told Congress today.

WASHINGTON - A year to the day after a new, democratic government assumed sovereignty in Iraq, insurgents there still are seeking to derail the country's political progress through violence, the State Department's senior official said today.

NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - In its quest to provide the fairest treatment possible for enemy combatants detained here, the Defense Department is constantly fine-tuning the practices and procedures in place and introducing new ones as appropriate, according to DoD's detainee affairs chief.

WASHINGTON - A major home-improvement store chain is offering all active, reserve and retired military personnel and their immediate family members a 10 percent discount on in-store purchases made during the July 4 holiday weekend.

KABUL, Afghanistan - Being thrown around in the dirt after working a 12- to 15-hour shift in a combat zone may not be an ideal ending to the day. But 14 soldiers, sailors and airmen at Camp Eggers, Afghanistan, volunteered for it.

WASHINGTON - Though a "legitimate national debate" can be had over the status of military detainees being at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld insisted today that the detainees are being treated humanely.

WASHINGTON - The Shiia majority in the Iraqi government drew praise from Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld today for reaching out to political opponents who might be amenable to working within that country's nascent political framework.

NAVAL STATION GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - Talk about troops fighting the war on terror, and most minds leap immediately to Iraq and Afghanistan. But servicemembers serving here say they feel the important contribution they're making to the effort sometimes gets overlooked.

WASHINGTON - With President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on hand to enjoy a night of major league baseball, the first-place Washington Nationals paused to honor the military before the team's interleague game against the Toronto Blue Jays at RFK Stadium here June 24.

BAGRAM AIR BASE, Afghanistan - The Afghan National Army and local government officials coordinated efforts with coalition forces to rescue 119 Afghans stranded on a small island by floodwaters June 23.

SHOALWATER BAY TRAINING AREA, Australia - U.S. and Australian military forces participating in Exercise Talisman Saber '05 near the Great Barrier Reef get special instruction on the unique Southern Hemisphere environment.

WASHINGTON - Media reports that Americans are losing support for the war effort concern military leaders and troops serving abroad, the general responsible for troops in the Middle East said in congressional testimony here June 23.

WASHINGTON - More than 80 nations and organizations from around the world gathered in Brussels, Belgium, June 22 to support the Iraqi transitional government and its vision and priorities for the future.

WASHINGTON - Increased violence and a growing number of foreign insurgents are signs that the United States is close to accomplishing its objective in Iraq, Vice President Richard B. Cheney said in an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer June 23.

WASHINGTON - Two Marines assigned to 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) were killed and 13 were wounded when a suicide car bomber struck their convoy June 23 in Fallujah, Iraq, U.S. military officials in Baghdad reported.

WASHINGTON - The term "all-volunteer force" is a misnomer, a senior Defense Department personnel official said here June 23. In truth, the U.S. military is an "all-recruited force," and its success depends on recruiters having access to potential recruits, David S. C. Chu, undersecretary for personnel and readiness, told reporters in the Pentagon.

WASHINGTON - Seeing servicemembers return from battlefields in Iraq and Afghanistan missing arms and legs or paralyzed was so heartrending for Victoria Mosier that she quit her full-time job to help improve their quality of life.

WASHINGTON - America is not losing the war in Iraq, and despite the insurgency's efforts at disruption, the political process will continue on schedule through elections planned there for December, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said in radio interviews June 21.

WASHINGTON - Afghanistan "has come alive," thanks to progress made during Operation Enduring Freedom, and troops serving there can't help but feel motivated knowing the role they're playing in that progress, the commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe said here today.

WASHINGTON - The transformation taking place throughout the Defense Department started early for U.S. Air Forces in Europe, which began reshaping and repositioning its assets 15 years ago and is now better prepared to support the war on terror, the command's top officer said today.

WASHINGTON - There has been no torture at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said in a series of radio interviews June 21. In fact, he added, the facility there is being run as a model detention facility.

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. - With increased awareness about the capabilities and uses of nonlethal weapons, the Marine Corps detachment here that instructs trainers for all the military services may soon be expanding its program.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces and U.S. Marines and sailors with Regimental Combat Team 2 completed Operation Spear on June 22, concluding a five-day operation in and around the city of Karabilah, near Iraq's border with Syria, military officials in Baghdad reported today.

WASHINGTON - Air Forces officials have instituted changes designed to stop instances of religious intolerance. The changes came as a result of an investigation into allegations of religious disrespect at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

WASHINGTON - Money dispersed by the Coalition Provisional Authority from the Development Fund for Iraq were properly distributed to the new Iraqi government in an open and transparent manner, Defense officials told Congress June 21.

WASHINGTON - Just a month after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Ellen Harpin sat in her Florida home and began to knit a pair of slippers for a sailor aboard the USS Bataan. The sailor had responded to an "any sailor" letter and had asked Harpin, an avid knitter, if she'd make her a pair of slippers.

STUTTGART, Germany - Often overlooked and little-publicized, the people who work in the Defense Department's Humanitarian Assistance Program are accustomed to living in the shadows, content to go about the business of winning hearts and minds in the host nations the program serves.

WASHINGTON - "Operation Purple Hearts" is not about the well-known medal awarded to those wounded in war, but about honoring heroes by helping them and their families overcome difficulties associated with military service.

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. - "There's no silver bullet" for dealing with improvised explosive devices killing and wounding U.S. troops in Iraq, the chief of staff for the Army Engineer School here told American Forces Press Service.

WASHINGTON - The Iraqi government and the international community are in Belgium today discussing priorities, aspirations and expectations for the future, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in opening remarks at the Brussels Conference hosted by the United States and the European Union.

WASHINGTON - A $10,000 check is a wonderful reward for doing something you'd do anyway without even thinking about being paid for your efforts. That's how much money "Operation Helping Hand" was granted on June 20 as the first-place winner in the 2005 Newman's Own Awards competition.

WASHINGTON - Today's meeting between President Bush and Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai represents an important step forward as the two countries put the past behind them and build on common ground, the Pentagon's international security affairs chief said today.

DENVER - When Lowry Air Force Base, Colo., was selected to be shuttered as part of the 1991 Base Realignment and Closure Act, many recession-battered Denver residents thought the end had come to the "Mile High" city.

WASHINGTON - With the one-year anniversary of the return of sovereignty to the Iraqi government approaching, the commander of ground troops there today said he is pleased with the progress being made in the country.

WASHINGTON - Five-year-old Lydia Townsend, of Rockford, Mich., loves the troops and wants them to know To show her appreciation for their sacrifice, she has transformed ordinary rocks into "Freedom Rocks" by painting them with American flags.

WASHINGTON - The recently escalating insurgency in Iraq cannot stop the rapid, revolutionary political change that is occurring there, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said in a TV interview June 20 in Cairo, Egypt.

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. - First responders will soon have a state-of-the-art facility here to hone the skills they'll need to deal with weapons of mass destruction and other chemical, biological, nuclear and radiological incidents.

ARLINGTON, Va. - They were elated, yelling with joy. Some of them even hugged the defense official who announced June 17 that the Vietnamese government had agreed to allow Americans to visit the site where seven soldiers perished in a plane crash on Jan 3, 1971. But the excitement didn't last long.

WASHINGTON - Eleven volunteer organizations that reach out to help improve the quality of life of military families took home between $2,500 and $10,000 today to help them continue their work in military communities.

WASHINGTON - To meet post-Sept. 11 security responsibilities, the United States Coast Guard has crafted and is implementing a transformation policy to ensure America's coastlines and waterways are safe, the Coast Guard's top official said June 17.

WASHINGTON - The upcoming international summit on support for Iraq sends "an important signal for people to hear loud and clear," President Bush said today during a news conference in the East Room of the White House.

WASHINGTON - While awaiting a federal court ruling about how to try detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the United States continues to treat them humanely and according to the Geneva Conventions, President Bush said today during a news conference at the White House.

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. - Recognizing that many of their students are likely to deploy to Iraq or Afghanistan within three or four months of leaving here, the cadre at the U.S. Army Military Police School is stepping up the curriculum to infuse as much realism as possible, the school's director of training told the American Forces Press Service.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi security forces and multinational forces killed two terrorists, detained 17 terror suspects, and seized a large cache of weapons in northern Iraq June 19, military officials said today.

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. - The communities surrounding Fort Leonard Wood are preparing for the growth anticipated due to upcoming base realignments and the return of forces from Europe and Korea to stateside bases -- and applying important lessons they learned from the past.

ARLINGTON, Va. - The Defense Department annually briefs families of servicemen still missing in Southeast Asia, and in their quest for closure, mother and daughter Jeanette Lilly, 79, and Susan J. Harvey, 58, haven't missed a meeting in more than 15 years.

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqi soldiers and coalition forces, working together and independently, captured 11 known terrorists in a series of early-morning raids in central and western Baghdad, Iraq, June 17. One other terror suspect was also taken into custody.

WASHINGTON - Two attacks in Baghdad, Iraq, today have left at least 16 civilians and five Iraqi police officers dead and scores wounded. A mortar attack in Mosul killed one civilian and injured five more.

WASHINGTON - Two Task Force Liberty soldiers were killed near Buhritz, in Iraq's Diyala province, June 17. One Iraqi civilian and one detainee, who was being transported by the combat patrol at the time of the engagement, were also killed.

WASHINGTON - While people may disagree on the decision to liberate Iraq, all should agree that the country is the central front in the war on terror, President Bush said in his weekly national radio address today.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has launched a new effort to educate servicemembers about the dangers of borrowing from "loan-shark" lending companies and to teach them how to avoid ending up in a spiral of compounding debt, a DoD official said here today.

WASHINGTON - There is more than one way to fight terrorism, as U.S. servicemembers participating in Exercise Flintlock '05 are finding. The biennial exercise now under way in Africa is designed to enhance African nations' ability to patrol and control their own territory

FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. - The greatest challenge facing recruiters is the people who influence young men and women of the "Millennium Generation" not to serve, the commander of the Army Recruiting Command said here today.

WASHINGTON - In line with the idea that all aspects of national power must be applied against terror, the Defense Department is working closely with the office of the State Department's Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization, DoD officials said before a Senate committee June 16.

WASHINGTON - U.S. and Iraqi soldiers this month continued their efforts to repair and rebuild areas battered by war, improve the lives and education of children, and help the citizens of Iraq advance toward a safe, secure and democratic nation.

ARLINGTON, Va. - A top Army general this week thanked more than 270 family members of servicemen still missing in Southeast Asia for their service and sacrifice during the Defense Department's 2005 annual government briefings for Vietnam War-era families.

WASHINGTON - The 2005 POW/MIA Recognition Day poster was unveiled here June 15 in honor of the sacrifices made by prisoners of war and servicemembers still unaccounted for, spanning World War II to Operation Iraqi Freedom.

WASHINGTON - A soldier in Iraq has been charged with two counts of premeditated murder in connection with the June 7 deaths of two other soldiers in his unit, military officials in Baghdad announced today.

WASHINGTON - The June 14 capture of Muhammad Khalaf Shakar reflects the growing intolerance of the Iraqi people for an "unpopular insurgency" and shows the increasing capability of Iraqi security forces, a U.S. military official in Iraq said today.

WASHINGTON - Over the Memorial Day weekend, "Operation Gratitude" assembled and shipped almost 20,000 care packages to deployed troops as part of its "Patriotic Drive," the group is gearing up for another big push.

BRANSON, Mo. - Active-duty servicemembers here for "Operation Homecoming USA" are giving Vietnam veterans faith that the U.S. military is working aggressively to account for some 1,800 Americans still missing from the Vietnam War.

WASHINGTON - Five Marines assigned to 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward), were killed near Ramadi, Iraq, June 15 when their vehicle hit an improvised explosive device. A sailor assigned to the same unit also died June 15 from wounds received from enemy small-arms fire.

WASHINGTON - The man who became famous bellowing "Good morning, Vietnam!" to his military radio audience today praised the families of servicemembers still listed as missing in action in Southeast Asia.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has made progress in several areas of chemical and biological defense, is coordinating regularly with other federal agencies, and has developed a long-term science and technology investment strategy to protect U.S. forces well into the future, a DoD official said June 14 at a congressional hearing.

WASHINGTON - Australia's prime minister today praised the Iraqi forces who rescued former hostage Douglas Wood in Baghdad, Iraq, this morning, as well as the American forces who supported the operation

INDIANAPOLIS - After Fort Benjamin Harrison, Ind., closed nearly a decade ago as a result of the 1991 base realignment and closure process, more than a million square feet of building space has been demolished. In its place has risen millions of more square feet in new business and housing.

WASHINGTON - The coalition and Iraqi security forces are facing a "thinking enemy," and that enemy has changed its tactics in response to what the coalition has done, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today.

WASHINGTON - The United States can no longer afford the luxury of treating terrorism as a law enforcement problem, and that is why the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, is necessary, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said at a press conference at the Pentagon today.

BRANSON, Mo. - Thirty years after the last U.S. forces left Vietnam, tens of thousands of veterans of that conflict gathered here in the Ozark Mountains today to get the official welcome home and thanks they never received.

BRANSON, Mo. - Today's young military men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan "are walking in our bootprints," the secretary of Veterans Affairs told thousands of Vietnam veterans and their families here today.

WASHINGTON - In addition to making the Army a more sleek, deployable force, transformation will add predictability and stability to the lives of soldiers and their families, the Army's top noncommissioned officer said in an interview with the Pentagon Channel.

WASHINGTON - Media focuses on a "drive to report the sensational," said Vice President Richard B. Cheney during an interview with Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity that aired on the "Hannity and Colmes" show June 13.

WASHINGTON - Four U.S. servicemembers and an Afghan interpreter were wounded today when an improvised explosive device detonated near their up-armored Humvee south of Ghazni, Afghanistan, the capital of Ghazni province, on the Lora River.

WASHINGTON - Thousands of visitors have come to the National World War II Memorial here since it opened last year. But the miles between the memorial and the ever-dwindling, increasingly frail ranks of World War II veterans make it difficult for many members of "The Greatest Generation" to make the pilgrimage to the nation's long-overdue tribute to their service.

WASHINGTON - It's been a little more than two months since I returned from Iraq. The day I returned, I watched my wife eagerly remove the Blue Star Service Banner from our front window, and she happily watched me bring down the yellow ribbon that had hugged our yard's corner tree for a year.

MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. - Vice President Richard B. Cheney bristled in a June 10 interview here at the attention being given to allegations made by detainees held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and how the publicity given to those allegations far outweighs that given to the good things U.S. servicemembers are doing.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Third Infantry Division soldiers conducted a raid in southern Baghdad on June 11, uncovering a weapons cache that led to the arrest of several men, according to coalition officials in Iraq.

CAMP LIBERTY, Iraq - More than 600 suspected terrorists have been detained in Baghdad area operations led by the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division, since May 20, said the team's deputy commander Lt. Col. Michael J. Infanti on June 10 here.

WASHINGTON - Iraqi Army and Task Force Baghdad soldiers captured 33 terror suspects, seized 2 million Iraqi dinars and confiscated a variety of bomb-making materials in a series of operations conducted June 8 and 9, military officials in Baghdad reported.

WASHINGTON - The Army hopes to introduce new incentives to attract recruits while working to educate parents, teachers and other adults who influence young people's decision to enlist about the long-term benefits of military service.

WASHINGTON - Despite recruiting shortfalls for the active Army and all reserve components except the Air Force Reserve in May, defense officials say they will strive to fill the ranks with the highest-quality recruits possible and have no intention of supporting a draft.

BRUSSELS, Belgium - NATO is committed to expanding its International Security Assistance Force into western and southern Afghanistan, and will reinforce Afghan security forces during upcoming elections.

WASHINGTON - Recognizing the stresses military life and multiple deployments put on families, the services are stepping up their efforts to help their members strengthen their family relationships and avoid the divorce courts.

BETHESDA, Md. - Servicemembers being treated at Washington's Walter Reed Army Medical Center were guests for the pro-am round of the Booz Allen Classic golf tournament at the Congressional Country Club here June 8, a day after PGA Tour officials and pro golfers visited patients at Walter Reed.

WASHINGTON - The "seabasing" capability being developed for the Marine Corps will enable the service to deploy 15,000 troops anywhere in the world in as little as 10 to 12 days, according to the commandant of the Marine Corps.

BRUSSELS, Belgium - NATO counties are working together in ways they never have before, and the alliance is expanding its membership and global responsibilities, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said at NATO headquarters here today.

ABOARD USS BLUE RIDGE - Exercise Talisman Saber, the first of a biennial series of exercises aimed at further developing and enhancing the defense relationships between the United States and Australia, began in various locations in eastern Australia on June 8.

WASHINGTON - The wife of the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff today received the National Defense University Foundation's inaugural American Spirit Award at Fort Lesley J. McNair here during NDU's 2005 American Patriot Award Gala Kickoff.

WASHINGTON - America's armed forces face a "thinking enemy" on the battlefield, and defeating it demands adaptable tactics and a fast application of lessons learned, the commandant of the Marine Corps said here today.

WASHINGTON - The Defense Department has made "tremendous efforts and strides" to meet the needs of Reserve and Guard servicemembers who now qualify for health-care coverage under the Tricare program, the program manager said today during an interview on Fox News.

STAVANGER, Norway - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and his Norwegian counterpart today signed an agreement here to allow U.S. Marines to pre-position military equipment in Norway for use should they ever have to come to this country's aid.

WASHINGTON - AT&T has joined the Defense Department's "America Supports You" team, continuing its more than 85 years of support for the U.S. military through a range of activities and contributions designed to benefit America's servicemen and women, officials announced today.

DENVER - Redevelopment efforts have created more than 115,000 new jobs nationwide in communities affected by the last four base realignment and closure actions, a senior Defense Department official said here this week.

WASHINGTON - Improvised explosive devices killed two soldiers In Iraq, and two other soldiers were killed by indirect fire in Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, military officials in Baghdad reported today.

WASHINGTON - The United States and Great Britain share a common commitment to spreading peace and freedom in the world and are working together to promote that vision - in Iraq, Afghanistan, the greater Middle East and Africa, the leaders of the two countries affirmed during a news conference here June 7.

WASHINGTON - Midway through the survey period, the Defense Department is reporting steady returns on its latest health-related behaviors survey, and officials are urging others selected to participate to weigh in with their responses.

WASHINGTON - The first phase of the Defense Department's new National Security Personnel System has been adjusted slightly, to later in the fiscal year, NSPS officials told the American Forces Press Service today.

WASHINGTON - Many civilian communities emerge from military base closures or realignments often in better economic health than before, a senior DoD official noted at a defense community redevelopment association meeting here June 6.

BANGKOK, Thailand - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld took a brief break from his whirlwind overseas trip today to do some sightseeing here -- but many of the tourists seemed more excited to see him than their actual destination.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - The media ought to focus on the very real, vicious acts of violent extremists, and not on vague allegations of Koran abuse, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said to reporters here today.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia - While debate about the detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, is good, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said here today, a separate debate is needed on an underlying problem: How does a civilized nation deal with non-state violent extremists?

WASHINGTON - Marines serving today in Iraq are living up to the legacy Marines of previous conflicts have passed on to them, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff told a gathering of Korean War era veterans June 4.

WASHINGTON - A Task Force Liberty soldier was killed when an improvised explosive device detonated near a vehicle patrol in Iraq's Kirkuk province at about 4 p.m. today, military officials in Baghdad reported.

SINGAPORE - The Straits of Malacca is a maritime choke point for ships going from the Indian Ocean to the Pacific. Asian defense experts examined the problem here today at the Asia Security Conference, known as the Shangri-La Dialogue, hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies.

WASHINGTON - Two U.S. servicemembers were killed and another was wounded after an improvised explosive device detonated near their convoy near Orgun-E June 3, according to Combined Forces Command Afghanistan officials.

WASHINGTON - Saddam Hussein's upcoming trial is expected to help bolster the security situation in Iraq, and the sooner the proceedings begin, the better, Iraq's foreign minister said today on CNN's "Late Edition."

SINGAPORE - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld this weekend urged China to become more involved in persuading North Korea to return to six-nation talks -- among the United States, China, Russia, Japan and both Koreas -- and to abandon its nuclear ambitions.

WASHINGTON - Operations in Iraq during the past three days yielded a terrorist hideaway, terror suspects, weapons and ammunition stockpiles, and a treasure chest of Iraqi artifacts looted from the Baghdad Museum more than two years ago.

WASHINGTON - An inquiry into allegations of mishandling of the Koran by U.S. personnel at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, reveals "a consistent, documented policy of respectful handling" dating back almost two and a half years, the general who led the effort said June 3.

SINGAPORE - The greatest threat facing nations in the Asia-Pacific region and around the world is the combination of weapons proliferation and terrorism, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said here today.

SINGAPORE - China's emergence as a potentially stronger military power "is an important new reality of this era, one that the countries of the region would no doubt like to embrace," Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said here today.

WASHINGTON - Two officials who have experience with base realignment and closure - one the former mayor of an affected city and the other who directs the Defense Department office charged with helping affected cities meet economic challenges, have written some insights they hope will be of value to communities that may lose facilities in this year's BRAC round.

WASHINGTON - Nine servicemembers representing the four active duty services, reserve components and the Coast Guard were presented the Federal Asian-Pacific American Council's Military Meritorious Service Award during the Defense Department's Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month luncheon and military awards ceremony here June 2.

ARLINGTON, Va. - The Defense Department's top personnel official gave a history lesson about Asian-Pacific Americans' contributions to the defense of the nation to about 800 attendees at the DoD Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month luncheon and military awards ceremony here June 2.

WASHINGTON - Armed services recruiting information, including that of the reserve components, will now be made available to the public on the 10th day of each month, a Pentagon spokeswoman noted today.

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. - Vice President Richard B. Cheney told more than 900 graduating cadets here today that they are taking their places as commissioned officers of the most powerful air and space force in the history of mankind.

WASHINGTON - NATO "will stay the course" in furthering the organization's values, Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer affirmed here today following a meeting at the White House with President Bush.

WASHINGTON - Some 85 percent of Iraqis said they will vote in October elections to ratify a new constitution in October, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said at a Pentagon news conference today, citing recent polling data.

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld defended U.S. military men and women accused of running a "gulag" at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The secretary spoke during a Pentagon press conference today.

WASHINGTON - NATO took command of two more provincial reconstruction teams and a forward support base in Afghanistan May 31, expanding the alliance's security and reconstruction mission in the western part of the country.